As a former Gopher hockey player myself, it was tough to see the women's team lose to Wisconsin in a hard fought overtime battle in the Women's Frozen Four semifinals last weekend.
The good news is the Gopher men's team has secured the No. 1 overall seed in the upcoming tournament. They are looking to claim their sixth national title and first since 2003. With a stacked roster, boasting more than a dozen NHL draft picks, and Logan Cooley, Matthew Knies, and Jimmy Snuggerud leading the charge, they have a strong chance to make a deep run (or win the whole thing... knock on wood).
The tough news... somehow St. Cloud State (24-12-3) and Minnesota State (25-12-1) ended up in the same region as Minnesota, which is absolutely ridiculous.
The team can't look past their first game though as they take on Canisius (20-18-3) at 8 on Thursday in the Fargo Regional at Scheels Arena in Fargo.
Despite the tough competition, Bob Motzko is confident in his team's ability to compete and come out on top. "We've got some guys who've been through a couple battles," Motzko said during the selection show broadcast on ESPN. "The seniors didn't get an opportunity during COVID, but the last two years our guys have been through these battles. It doesn't matter if you're a 1-seed or a 4-seed. History has proven that."
Before Minnesota takes the ice, Gopher fans won't want to miss St. Cloud vs. Mankato Thursday at 4.
The Fargo Regional championship will be held Saturday at 5:30, and the Gophers will be fighting hard to come out on top.
Ski U Mah!